Sunday, July 14, 2013

BOB MOVER SINGS AND BLOWS ON NEW DOUBLE-DISC RECORDING

Bob
Mover

My
Heart Tells Me (Motema)

The
prominent saxophonist Phil Woods endorsed “My Heart Tells Me,” alto saxophonist
Bob Mover's new two-disc recording. Like Woods, Mover’s
blowing has a downhome bop feel. On the
first disc, Mover sings, and he blows on disc two. His singing is incomparable
to his blowing. It’s still a mystery why some jazz saxophonists believe they
can sing. Anyway, Mover’s blowing is strong enough to stand on its own merit. Go straight to disc two for proof of that
ability.Its Mover’s blowing that makes
“My Heart Tell Me” a good recording. But had he left the singing on the editing
room floor “My Heart Tell Me” would’ve been supremely good.

Peter Leitch

California Concert (Jazz
House)

The concert took place
at California State University in 1999. It was one of jazz guitarist Peter
Leitch’s favorite dates as a bandleader. Leitch had pianist John Hicks, bassist
David Williams, and drummer Billy Higgins in the band. Because the recording is a re-mastered bootleg,
the sound quality is poor. But the playing is outstanding, especially Hicks
solo on the opener “Relaxin’ at Camarillo” and the closer “A Blues For Ivan
Symonds/Theme”. When Higgins died in
2001 and Hicks five years later, they left bulletproof legacies. Arguably, one of the sweetest jazz drummers
ever to grace this planet, Higgins swung above sea level throughout “My Heart
Tells Me”. Leitch has a dual nature on
guitar, a careful touch on slow tempo cuts. On blazing tempos, he’s a gangster.